Opinion | Macau’s Ho Iat-seng offers a playbook for Hong Kong chief executives and patriots
- Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng fought to reopen borders with Zhuhai for National Day
- His openness about how he dealt with the issue amid setbacks, and his willingness to apologise to the public, set him apart as a talented and resourceful politician
Times have indeed changed. Hong Kong’s caged homes and subdivided flats don’t go hand in hand with “common prosperity”. Our housing problem has been elevated to a political problem by the man charged with looking after Hong Kong and Macau.
Beijing has really left nothing to chance. Hence, we saw Luo Huining, director of the central government’s liaison office, going on an all-out tour of the city and making very visible outreach efforts, starting on the eve of National Day until October 5. That was the day before Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor delivered the last policy address of her term.
After being told in no uncertain terms that solving Hong Kong’s housing problem is not only Beijing’s concern, but also what the public expects – and being taken to task in such high-profile visits to the community – Lam obviously got the message.
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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam gives last policy address of current term, ending on emotional note
